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Environment and related trade

Data insights

The intersection of international trade and environmental sustainability has become increasingly important in shaping global economic policies. This collection of thematic insights explores key areas where trade and the environment intersect, shedding light on the dynamics of environmentally related trade.

Services account for 87% of Small Island Developing States' ocean exports

Ocean exports by development status group, billions of dollars, 2023

UN Trade and Development, UNCTADstat.

Developed economies lead ocean exports with $1215 billion, compared to $994 billion for developing economies (2023 figures). Small Island Developing States (SIDS) ($170 billion of total ocean exports) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) ($9 billion, not shown on chart) represent only a small fraction of developing economies’ ocean exports.

While developed and developing economies generally have diversified ocean exports, 87% of SIDS’ ocean exports are services. Within SIDS (as defined by UN-OHRLSS), Singapore mostly exports maritime passenger and freight services, while other SIDS rely heavily on their tourism exports, which fell by 68% in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Data updated on 17 Feb 2025

Small Island Developing States' ocean exports per capita are nearly 10 times higher than the global average

Ocean exports value, dollars per capita, 2023

UN Trade and Development, UNCTADstat.

SIDS’ ocean exports per capita were $2641 in 2023, nearly ten times the world average, pointing to the economic importance of this export sector.

Read more about UNCTAD's work to help SIDS through the Blue Biotrade in the Caribbean and Ocean Economy and Trade Strategies in Barbados, Belize and Costa Rica.

Data updated on 17 Feb 2025

Metadata

The trade in ocean goods and services databases draw on UN Comtrade data following the development of a UNCTAD ocean trade classification. As HS codes do not distinguish between land-based and ocean-based activities, coefficients were developed when necessary, to isolate the share of ocean-based activities, based on extensive desk research on countries and sectors. The ocean trade classification is available to download here: Towards a harmonized international trade classification for the development of sustainable ocean-based economies | UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Metadata are available on our Data Centre (Ocean trade - Methodological note) and for each ocean trade table.

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